Cognitive processes for children: Comparison of parents, childcare workers, and general adults considering environmental factors

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K02461
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09030:Childhood and nursery/pre-school education-related
• Research Institution: Sophia University
• Principal Investigator: Atsuko SAITO 上智大学, 総合人間科学部, 准教授 (00415572)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 橋弥 和秀 九州大学, 人間環境学研究院, 教授 (20324593) ; 池田 功毅 明治学院大学, 経済学部, 研究員 (20709240)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 子育て

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To promote child-rearing within society, we conducted the following three studies: (1) A comparison of ratings of infant faces between mothers and university students suggested differences in infant face recognition between the two groups. (2) Interviews with childcare workers who were also parents revealed that while positive emotions towards children were a commonality, differences included whether the focus was on an individual or a group. (3) An online survey of mothers and fathers raising children aged 3-5 examined whether social support affects child development either directly or through the parents' psychological states and parenting behaviors. The results suggested that the way these factors are related differs between mothers and fathers.

Free Research Field

発達心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果から、親と大学生で乳幼児の顔の認知の仕方が異なること、子どもと積極的にかかわる仕事である保育者であっても、子育てと保育は同じではないこと、養育におけるソーシャルサポートの影響の在り方は、母親と父親で異なることが示された。どのような人が、どのような齢の子どもに、どのようにかかわりうるのか、またその影響の在り方に関する情報を提供することができ、これらの情報は、社会の中での子育てを促進するためのシステム構築のヒントとなると考えられる。